President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that he could invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to suppress protests in Minneapolis linked to his administration’s immigration crackdown, as tensions in the city escalated following multiple shootings involving federal agents, reports Baltimore Chronicle via The New York Times.
The warning came after a week of unrest that began when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old American woman, during an immigration operation in Minneapolis. Demonstrations intensified further on Wednesday evening after another federal agent shot a Venezuelan national, later identified by the Department of Homeland Security as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, during an attempted arrest on the city’s North Side. Federal officials said Sosa-Celis, who they stated was in the United States without legal status, was shot in the leg after allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting an agent with the help of two other men using a shovel and a broom handle. Authorities said the injuries were not life-threatening.
Speaking publicly, President Trump said he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act if, in his words, “the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrections from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.” The law, enacted in 1807, allows the president to deploy U.S. military forces domestically to quell insurrections or widespread civil disorder under specific conditions.
The Trump administration has described the shooting of Renee Good as an act of self-defense by the agent involved and has characterized Good as a domestic terrorist, a claim rejected by local officials and protesters. Good was shot last week while sitting in her vehicle during what her family’s lawyers described as an attempt to observe and support neighbors during an immigration enforcement action. Demonstrators have demanded the arrest and prosecution of the agent, Jonathan Ross, though legal experts note that prosecuting a federal officer acting in the line of duty presents significant constitutional and jurisdictional challenges.
Minneapolis officials said Wednesday night’s shooting triggered hours of clashes between protesters and law enforcement. At least 200 demonstrators gathered near the scene, where fireworks were thrown at officers and chemical agents were used to disperse the crowd. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the situation as unstable and said local authorities were not fully informed by federal agents operating in the area. Mayor Jacob Frey reiterated calls for ICE to suspend its operations in the city, saying the current situation was “not sustainable.”
Federal officials said approximately 3,000 immigration agents have been deployed to the Minneapolis area in recent weeks as part of what the administration describes as the largest immigration enforcement operation to date. The Department of Homeland Security has defended the deployment as necessary to combat illegal immigration and investigate fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs. Local and state leaders, including Governor Tim Walz, have condemned the surge, with Walz calling it a federal “occupation” and urging an end to the operation.
Legal fallout from the shootings has continued to grow. Lawyers for Renee Good’s family announced they are pursuing a civil investigation into her death, citing a lack of cooperation from federal authorities who have declined to share evidence with state investigators. At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota have resigned in protest over the Justice Department’s handling of the case, including its reluctance to investigate the agent who killed Good and its push to examine the actions of her partner.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota also filed a lawsuit on Thursday on behalf of Somali and Latino residents who allege they were racially profiled during immigration enforcement actions. The organization said it plans to seek a preliminary injunction to limit the conduct of federal agents operating in the state.
As of Thursday, federal investigations into both shootings were ongoing, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation leading the inquiry into Good’s death. State officials said they have been denied access to key evidence, including the vehicle involved and autopsy materials, complicating parallel state-level reviews. Meanwhile, protests in Minneapolis continued amid heightened security and warnings from the White House that additional federal measures, including possible military involvement, remain under consideration.
Earlier we wrote about South Carolina Officer Wounded in Ambush-Style Shooting; Suspect Killed in Gunfight
